Eurosport - Thu, 02 Jul 08:53:00 2009
Karim Benzema is set to join Real Madrid after Lyon accepted an offer of 35 million euros (£30m) plus add-ons for the France striker.
The agreed fee, which could rise to 41m euros dependent on performances, was announced on Les Gones' website.
"Several days ago Karim Benzema told club president Jean-Michel Aulas of his wish to join Madrid - who were always his preferred destination after Lyon - more quickly than originally thought," the Ligue 1 club said.
"The player wanted take the opportunity offered to be one of the key players in Madrid's ambitious new policy to collect some of the biggest players in the world.
"Lyon accepted Benzema's decision and we negotiated terms that pleased all parties concerned.
"The club would like to wish Benzema the best of luck with Real Madrid and that he gets the greatest benefit from an ambitious sporting and economic package which - given the different funding, sponsorship, fan-base and stadium size - we in France cannot compete with."
Radio Cadena Ser reported he will sign a six-year contract with the Spanish giants.
Club president Florentino Perez said that their next big signing would be presented "tomorrow", Thursday July 2.
France international Benzema is Madrid's third big-money summer signing following the acquisitions of Kaka (£60m) and Cristiano Ronaldo (£80m).
He has scored 37 Ligue 1 goals in the past two seasons for Lyon, with nine in 15 Champions League matches.
Premier League champions Manchester United were linked with the player after they received full payment from Real for Ronaldo's world-record move.
Both clubs are also thought to be interested in signing Bayern Munich's French attacking midfielder Franck Ribery.
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Comment 362 - 381 of 381
well said 339. if SAF is really to bring in M.Owen, well, hopes that it turns out to be the biggest surprise for ol' Perez
maybe another 'owen' in madrid...
Check out no.339. it shows how dumb perez is.
even tho madrid are spending money like monopoly dollars, you have to admit that everyone will want to watch madrid play all season. i'm a huge barca supporter but i am excited to see los merengues play. cant wait for preseason
379 err just how much have Chelsea spent this season ?
Ich liebe REAL MADRID
When the scally's write '5 times Y N W A'.....is that an incorrectly typed anogram meaning Y A W N as in BORING????????
Are the same muppets who also, when the were to see a German national shout at them as they walk past ' we won the war we won the war' as thats nearly the same ancient history ................
Ps Real....get Real
Barca get in a coach and support the coaches vision of a team and system. Then give him time to see If it works. And more importantly the players buy into the fact that they are a TEAM. Madrid seem to do things differently. They keep going for the glitzy players regardless of the way the play and throw them together & see if it works. If it doesn't work they blame the manager who had little input into what players to put together anyway. Then they spin their revolving managerial wheel again to see what happens. When they accidentally stumble upon a manager who can manage these superstars, delivers a couple of Champions League and La Liga titles, they sack him for not being glitzy enough himself (Del Bosque anyone?) and look for someone else. Sheer madness. The best run clubs need stability. In the boardroom, financially, at the managerial level and at academy levels. See Man Utd, Arsenal, Barcelona etc (Liverpool would be included in that before the co-owners but will return to that if one of them sells to the other).
Madrid are the new chelsea, spend loads, win F.A
i agree with post369..Real only brought the right player this season..that's kaka..where C.Ronaldo is a selfish little sh**..all that he care is his own..keep showing..we(madrid) dont't want such a player in our squard..
He may well be the most expensive player in the world..but not the best nor he should be the most expensive player..
i glad utd sell him..but i absolutely hate to see him in madrid..hope his broke his leg n never recovery again..
barca will still win la liga, they have produced their own teamm not bought a ready made one, too many egos in real not enough work ethic, who was the last star real produced?, look at barca's team its littered with them,
He is not buying players to win trophies. He is only interested in marketing and making money off of these world stars.
Either way I do not see all these stars playing well together. They will still end up behind Barca in La Liga. As for Barca, I think they only need a good left back and perhaps a good attacking playing to fill in Henry/Messi/Eto'o place if are injured.
Football next season will be interesting, i still think utd will win the league and also barcelona . what i would like to see is whether Blatter and Platini will start to have a go at madrid for spending all this money which will be a debt against the club as they are happy to complain about all the english clubs. honestly i cant see this happening as one is german / austrian and the other is french. madrid need to buy a defensive midfielder like essien and a full back like lahm / cole or evra. i hate to say this but i can see madrid fall flat on their face next season they will score goals but they will concede alot aswel especially ion champ league where teams defend alot better
Any sportsman would want to go and play with the best players, and he's only 21, still a kid with his head in the clouds. (Wow, they going to call me a Galactico, just like they called Zidane, wow.)That does not mean he did not want to join United, that means he wanted to join Real Madrid. Two different things.
he was never goin to the rags,can't blame him,the only place they are going now is downhill
Good place for all big and tall singles, please check: ---Tallconnect Co M ---- ,More fun waiting for you...
madrid is buying all the best players n the world and its rather scary its like they r forming a look alike FIFA world eleven .Anyway we bn watching Football 4 a rather long time and undrstand that it takes a team to win trophies not a collection of stars on display .
another player who dont want to play for uniturd... muhahHAHAHAAAA
darren M you fooookin clown thats the same reason people want manure to fail too! Average player you go out and buy is over 30 million you buy the league too in some respect only chelsea and manure can go and spend 30 million on one player and you been doing it for the last 5-6 years your fooookin turnip
We maybe needed a player like cristiano ronaldo to speed up the play but we don't need a striker while we have higuain, huntellar, negredo(90% coming back) and van nistelroy!!
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